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New Zealand travellers refusing digital search now face $5k Customs fine

radionz.co.nz

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Re: New Zealand travellers refusing digital search now face $5k Customs fine

#431

Post by cf_ »

macintux wrote: post #396
ttty wrote: post #355

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Buy new phone, put random things there to look real and give them that phone instead. Or wipe your phone, restore backup from cloud on arrival.

> Or wipe your phone, restore backup from cloud on arrival. I'd wager the agents could legitimately (for some deranged, modern usage of that word) require that you either surrender your phone anyway or restore it immediately so they can review what you're clearly planning on bringing into the country.

By that logic they could demand live access to your bank/social/email account as well. It's one thing to search things that you physically bring into the country - this article was talking about NZ only search the phones in "Airplane" mode.

Re: New Zealand travellers refusing digital search now face $5k Customs fine

#432

Post by teddyh »

tomjen3 wrote: post #282
gdhbcc wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All countries can demand it. They are sovereign. Are you asking which countries do demand it?

That would be hilarious: Room Temperature IQ Goon (RTG): Give me your facebook password Me: I don't know my facebook password RTG: How do you login? Me: I have a service to hold all my passwords RTG: What is that service and what is the password Me: Lastpass, but I don't have the second password RTG: Second password? Me: Yes, it requires me to use a U2F token to generate a second password RTG: What is a U2F token and…

Your fantasy scenario (oh so satisfying) is very similar to this: https://xkcd.com/538/ Consider the truth therein.

> Of course the real solution is that I don't travel anywhere.

That is considerably more realistic, sadly.

Re: New Zealand travellers refusing digital search now face $5k Customs fine

#433

Post by maxxxxx »

ryandrake wrote: post #423
tokyodude wrote: post #400

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I arrive at the airport I use my phone for maps, my travel info, my contacts, my reservations, busses, trains, taxis, uber, messages with people I'm coordinating with, my travel notes, etc... Or are you suggesting I should camp out in the airport for a few hours to restore my phone before I can figure out where I'm going and get ahold of my contacts? Oh let me guess. Your solution so to print those contacts and…

Maybe I’m just too old or unimaginative, but none of these objections seem like serious showstoppers to me. This is straying far from the original topic but now I’m curious: How would you survive if you were to accidentally lose your phone while traveling, or if it got stolen? One can (and should) be capable of being a functioning adult without a cell phone.

This discussion is about taking a phone with you while travelling and be secure from border searches. Sure, you can leave the home but this is not the point of the discussion.

Re: New Zealand travellers refusing digital search now face $5k Customs fine

#434

Post by thrower123 »

tokyodude wrote: post #400
ryandrake wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I consider a few hours restoring from a backup while I sleep to be a pretty small price. To some people this might be a huge inconvenience, I suppose. I mean, think about it: Hours without access to Instagram. HOURS!!

When I arrive at the airport I use my phone for maps, my travel info, my contacts, my reservations, busses, trains, taxis, uber, messages with people I'm coordinating with, my travel notes, etc... Or are you suggesting I should camp out in the airport for a few hours to restore my phone before I can figure out where I'm going and get ahold of my contacts? Oh let me guess. Your solution so to print those contacts and…

These are all problems you have created by over-dependance on a single point of failure.

It's honestly kind of lazy not to take precautions, particularly when it's that easy - you've already listed out exactly what I'd suggest, and it's how people muddled along for decades in the before-times, more or less successfully.

I would suggest learning how to read maps. It's really easy, especially in urban areas. Find the nearest intersection, and look where it is on the map. There you are.

Re: New Zealand travellers refusing digital search now face $5k Customs fine

#435

Post by macintux »

cf_ wrote: post #431
macintux wrote: post #396

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Or wipe your phone, restore backup from cloud on arrival. I'd wager the agents could legitimately (for some deranged, modern usage of that word) require that you either surrender your phone anyway or restore it immediately so they can review what you're clearly planning on bringing into the country.

By that logic they could demand live access to your bank/social/email account as well. It's one thing to search things that you physically bring into the country - this article was talking about NZ only search the phones in "Airplane" mode.

True, the way this law is apparently defined I think you could get away with it, but the distinction between what's on the device and what's in the cloud is getting fuzzier all the time, and I'm not sure other countries would feel so constrained.

Re: New Zealand travellers refusing digital search now face $5k Customs fine

#436

Post by sctb »

paradite wrote: post #338
sctb wrote: post #296

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Like we've asked before, could you please start commenting in the spirit of this site, which is to gratify our intellectual curiosity? Gratuitous inflammation doesn't belong and will get your account banned. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Since you are here already, maybe I know why is the author of this comment not given warning or ban for personal attacks? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18112863

We don't see nearly all comments, even if we post in a thread. If you notice such things the best thing to do is email us at hn@ycombinator.com so we'll be sure to see it.

Re: New Zealand travellers refusing digital search now face $5k Customs fine

#437

Post by cultus »

MaxBarraclough wrote: post #295
wild_preference wrote: post #257

Happened to a female friend flying from Toronto to visit me in Mexico. Because she had a connecting flight in US, a US agent went through her phone. (Classic mistake of entering the US unless absolutely neccessary) Guy was reading her Tinder messages and accusing her of being a prostitute. He brought up some saucy messages and would say things like “girls don’t do this kind of stuff for free...” Finally handed her ba…

Their unprofessionalism is almost as disturbing as the policy.

It's the rule rather than the exception with border guards these days, both US and Canadian. It's a job where bullies get to bully. It attracts a certain kind of person.

Re: New Zealand travellers refusing digital search now face $5k Customs fine

#438

Post by lostlogin »

newscracker wrote: post #413
wild_preference wrote: post #257

Happened to a female friend flying from Toronto to visit me in Mexico. Because she had a connecting flight in US, a US agent went through her phone. (Classic mistake of entering the US unless absolutely neccessary) Guy was reading her Tinder messages and accusing her of being a prostitute. He brought up some saucy messages and would say things like “girls don’t do this kind of stuff for free...” Finally handed her ba…

This is so disgusting, and is a personal violation! I can't imagine going through such a horrific experience. This is exactly the behavior that such laws bring forth. See an attractive woman and stop her for questioning, knowing fully well that you're in the position of power between the two of you and can get away with almost anything.

It’s grim. For some reason this reminds me of the current Supreme Court hearings, where Ford was referred to as ‘attractive’, as though that had some kind of relevance. It’s right the way though the US system it seems and it appears from this new law that NZ is headed that way too.

https://www.google.co.nz/amp/amp.timeinc.net/time/5408721/ch...

Re: New Zealand travellers refusing digital search now face $5k Customs fine

#439

Post by Mizza »

wild_preference wrote: post #257

Happened to a female friend flying from Toronto to visit me in Mexico. Because she had a connecting flight in US, a US agent went through her phone. (Classic mistake of entering the US unless absolutely neccessary) Guy was reading her Tinder messages and accusing her of being a prostitute. He brought up some saucy messages and would say things like “girls don’t do this kind of stuff for free...” Finally handed her ba…

Please ask your friend to write publicly about her experience. It's horrifying.

Re: New Zealand travellers refusing digital search now face $5k Customs fine

#440

Post by bacon_waffle »

yayana wrote: post #388
tootahe45 wrote: post #225

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the UK and NZ they're already looking to stop people from buying burner phones with cash.

Bringing a blank phone with you isn't really a problem, but getting a local SIM can be.

> getting a local SIM can be.

I just picked up a new one for a work project at the local supermarket yesterday - $1NZD.

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